Felled
by The Tree That Fell Silently
Summary: Alderpaw is your average apprentice. He plays hard and trains harder. One look at him and you know something's afoot. Has StarClan appeared to him in a dream? Has the medicine cat learned of a terrible prophecy where only he may lead the Clan to a safe haven? Well, no. Not at all.
1. Chapter 1

"Alderkit, get your tail right back over here this instant!" The surly queen snapped at the young tomcat who slinked away sneakily to the fresh-kill pile.

The small tabby bristled his fur in fear. His mother was scary when she was angry. She was more ferocious than the strongest of ShadowClan warriors. He turned around guiltily, his stomach still rumbling. He had been too excited to eat this morning, but now it looked like he wouldn't be able to gulp down a quick snack.

"It's your turn to be washed," she mewed, this time softer. "I don't want you looking like a stale mouse during your apprentice's ceremony."

"Alright," he padded back over to the queen who began warmly washing his ears and greasy pelt. "I'm hungry." He mumbled, her tongue smoothing down the fur by his whiskers. She ignored his complaint.

His two littermates, Daisykit and Nightkit, were wrestling by the nursery with the younger kits. Alderkit eyed them enviously. He wanted to play too! His mother continued to wash his fur even when he felt perfectly clean.

"Can I go play now?" Alderkit asked his mother squirming away from her rough tongue. "Or eat something?"

The queen flicked her tail irritatedly. "I don't want your fur covered in prey bits. There's no time to play. Say goodbye to your denmates." She nudged her son over to the nursery. "Okay, Nightkit, Daisykit, say bye."

"Is the ceremony really today?" Daisykit mewed, her green eyes wide. "I'm so excited!"

One of the younger kits scuffed a pebble. "Lucky. We still have three moons to wait."

"It'll be your turn sooner than you think." Nightkit said to them.

"Yeah," Alderkit nodded to his brother and glanced down at the other kits. "Then you can train with us."

"Now, now, kits," his mother sweeped her litter close. "Whitestar will be calling everycat to the Highrock soon." She licked Nightkit and Daisykit's ruffled fur quickly. "I made sure to tell Whitestar which warriors I want mentoring you."

"Really?" The small she-kit squeaked. "Will you be my mentor?"

"No," the queen purred. "But you will be happy with who I picked out for you!"

"Oh," Daisykit's eyes lit up. "I hope it's Hazelstripe."

The queen stood up on her large paws and led her litter over to the Highrock where the ThunderClan leader would be holding the ceremony. Alderkit leaned in close to his dark-furred brother and whispered: "Who do you think our mentors will be?"

Nightkit cast a thoughtful glance back to him. "Knowing Mothfur, she probably wants your mentor to be Larktail."

"The deputy?" Alderkit felt his heart quicken with hope. The hunger pangs in belly softened from the thought.

The smaller tomkit shrugged. "I don't know who I might get, but as long as they're a good warrior I'll be happy." Nightkit mewed, swiftening the pace of his paws to keep up with their mother.

Alderkit sat down next to Mothfur. This was their last days as kits! No longer would he be able to sleep against his mother's thick, gray pelt. They would be sleeping with the older apprentices.

He looked up at her and caught her eye gazing proudly down at him and his siblings. He sat up straight, almost as tall as her shoulders. Nightkit was slouched over and Daisykit copied her eldest brother, sitting up straight with an erect tail.

Finally, Whitestar emerged from his den, brushing the soft tendrils of vine with his fur. He called the Clan together for the ceremony.

"May all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather by the Highrock for a Clan meeting."

Alderkit looked over his shoulder and watched as his friends from the nursery raced out to join the Clan meeting. The elders padded out of their dens and nests and the warriors sharing tongues quickly joined the litter by the Highrock.

"ThunderClan will have some fine apprentices this season." One of the senior warriors mewed.

"And it's about time Hazelstripe gets a new apprentice." Another cat whispered.

Alderkit felt his sister squirm with excitement. With most of the cats gathered, Whitestar began the ceremony. Alderkit felt a rush of fire flush into his belly.

"Daisykit, you are now known as Daisypaw. You will be mentored by Hazelstripe." The white tom declared.

The pale warrior padded through the Clan over to the tiny kit. "I am honored to be your mentor." She purred.

Daisypaw could barely hold her joy inside. Her throat rumbled with the deep sound of her purrs. She quickly pressed her nose to her new mentor's own. Daisypaw's happy, green eyes sparkled like Silverpelt.

Whitestar looked down at the happy pair, satisfied with the instant bond between the new apprentice and mentor. "Nightkit," he addressed the dark gray tom. "From now on until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Nightpaw. Your mentor will be Foxfoot."

Alderkit nudged his brother with a quick jab of his paw. What a lucky cat! Foxfoot had the quickest pair of paws in the Clan. He was a great warrior and a great hunter.

Beside him, Alderkit heard his mother scowl quietly. "His mentor was supposed to be Larktail." Alderkit glanced at his mother with the corner of his eye. He thought for sure she'd at least recommend the deputy to him and not Nightpaw! Perhaps Whitestar thought the deputy would be more suited to mentoring him instead?

Nightpaw approached the ginger warrior with tiny pawsteps.

"Foxfoot, you are swift and intelligent, and I hope you will pass on your wisdom to Nightpaw."

"Most definetly!" The big tom mewed sincerely.

Alderkit couldn't tell if his brother was delighted or unimpressed. The sharp yellow of his eyes was always hard to figure out.

Finally, after what like many seasons, it was Alderkit's turn. The brown tabby kit searched the eyes of his Clanmates looking for a hint of who his mentor would be. Dreams passed by in his mind as quick as the flap of a bird's wing. Could it really be Larktail who would train him as a warrior? Or could it be Whitestar himself?

"Alderkit," the leader tugged his head out from the clouds. "You will now be known as Alderpaw."

Alderpaw took in a deep breath of forest air, relishing the first moments of his new name.

"Your mentor will be Stormclaw."

The newly named apprentice blinked his eyes in surprise. Stormclaw? He looked up at the huge gray-and-white tom who padded towards him. Alderpaw felt his mother's tense shoulders relax. She requested that this young warrior mentor him.

Alderpaw felt a choking lump in his throat. Stormclaw was named for his sharp, hooked claws that helped win the battle for Sunningrocks against RiverClan. He was made a warrior earlier than his littermates because of how viciously he fought for his Clan.

But the young, powerful tom had softness in his eyes.

"Stormclaw, you are cunning and strong. Pass down your bravery and courage to your first apprentice." Whitestar meowed proudly.

"I certainly will," the large tom nodded, leaning to press his nose against his apprentice's.

Alderpaw purred as he turned back to his mother. Her eyes were glittering with joy. Her mouth was the first to yowl.

"Alderpaw! Nightpaw! Daisypaw!" She cheered, claws flexing and kneading the earth with her whiskers twitching in rhythm.

The Clan joined in and chanted the new names with her, but Mothfur's voice was the loudest of them all.

Alderpaw looked at his littermates. Daisypaw was scraping the earth, her ears twitching wildly. Nightpaw looked down at his paws but the shine in his eyes was unmistakable. Hazelstripe and Foxfoot were nodding towards each other respectfully.

Stormclaw's meow startled Alderpaw's joyous stuper. "How are you feeling?"

"Excited!" He replied. "I can't wait to begin training and explore the whole territory and fight with ShadowClan!" His tail was whipping around wildly. He shook his head slightly and regained his composure. He was an apprentice now. "I am honored to be your first apprentice."

Stormclaw flicked his ears. "I am honored to be your mentor." He mewed warmly.

"Wow," Alderpaw sighed through his nose. "This is going to be awesome."

"Indeed," the large tabby agreed.

He padded over to his mother, the rush of joy still buzzing beneath his pelt. He brushed her legs with his cheeks, happy to breath in her familiar sweet scent. She nuzzled him tenderly. "Do you like your mentor?"

"Yes! Thank you!"

"Thank Whitestar." Mothfur nodded. "Except for Nightpaw. What a slip!" She added with a growl.

His brother and sister padded over. Daisypaw reached up and licked the fur above the queen's eye. "Thank you so much! I can't believe I have Hazelstripe as my mentor! I'm so lucky! Thank you!"

"Anything for my kits." She mewed. She turned her yellow gaze to his brother, her eyes darkening. "I'm sorry, Nightpaw. I requested that Larktail be your mentor, but Whitestar must have cobwebs in his ears." Mothfur looked up at the leader who was speaking with the deputy by his den. "I ought to teach that tom a lesson." She hissed.

"What?" Nightpaw blinked his eyes. "Foxfoot is fine. He is a really good warrior. Uh, thanks for trying to get the deputy for me. But, Foxfoot is probably even better."

Mothfur nuzzled her son. "Thank you for understanding. I'm sure Foxfoot will be a fine teacher. Now," she sat up. "Go back to your mentors. They will tell you what to do now."

"Are you going to be a warrior again?" Daisypaw asked.

"Yes," Mothfur nodded.

"Great!" Alderpaw purred. "We can all train together!"

"Perhaps," she nodded once more. "Now run along. Respect your mentors and do as they say. Never disobey them."

Alderpaw held in a chuckle. Disobedience was quickly snuffed with Mothfur. She'd claw their hides off for playing Mossball when they should be sleeping and nip their tails when they would run off to bother the elders too early in the morning.

Alderpaw was determined to listen to every word of his mentor and follow every order. He wanted to become the best apprentice in the Clan, and then become the best warrior in the forest! He tipped his head an thought to himself:

Alderstar had a nice ring to it.

* * *

 **Amazing Author Note: I know, I know, generic prologue right? You meet the kits, they get their mentors, and blah blah blah there's always Mother's favorite and et cetera.**

 **Come on, I'm sure I'm not the only one here who has read (or just simply seen) hundreds of Warriors fanfictions where the kit inevitably becomes leader. They have a destiny from StarClan, or they simply don't fit into their Clan because of their physical condition, the way they think, or for simply no reason.**

 **I honestly have a hard time reading those. Sometimes I'll go through a whole story because the author's writing is simply amazing, but I usually just can't go through the whole cliché route. Oof, what a rant this is!**

 **Just warning you that this isn't "Alderstar's Journey" or "Alderkit's Destiny."**

 **This is Felled.**


	2. Chapter 2

"Hey, we made some nests for you." One of the older apprentices meowed, welcoming the younger ones into the den.

"You three are lucky to have such nice Clanmates!" Hazelstripe purred. "It's already getting a bit chilly to collect moss. Come on now, thank your denmates."

"Thanks!" Daisypaw mewed, pressing past her mentor to enter the elderberry den.

"Thank you, they look nice." Nightpaw said, glancing over at the three newly made nests of moss with his unblinking eyes.

Alderpaw padded in after his brother. "Yes, thank you."

"After you all settle in," Foxfoot stuck his head in the den. "Come back over to the prey pile. That's where we'll be." He said and left with Hazelstripe.

The apprentices in the den, Puddlepaw, Rainpaw, and Owlpaw, were sitting in their own nests tiredly. Owlpaw shook her white pelt free of leaf bits and pointed her nose at one of the nests by the entrance. "That one is yours, Alderpaw. I made it really big so you could fit." She mewed with an edge.

He looked down at the stretched out nest sitting lazily on the cold earth. It could have been a nest big enough to hold a fat queen and her eight kits! Alderpaw couldn't help feel hot under pelt. Was that blue-eyed she-cat calling him fat? He remembered her being a little less harsh in the nursery. "Thanks, Owlpaw." He shrugged and slipped into his nest which was a perfect fit. "Comfy."

Owlpaw snorted in reply, her nose wrinkling with distain for the tabby. "Save the suck ups for your mentor."

Puddlepaw shot a glance at his sister with irritation storming in his eyes. "Can't you ever be nice, Owlpaw?" He meowed hopelessly.

"Being nice doesn't catch the mice." She said crossly. She rolled over and tucked her nose under her paws, blocking out her brother's plea.

Alderpaw bit back a snarky remark. The den was silent.

Daisypaw and Nightpaw stood side by side exchanging expressions with each other. They hadn't argued so much as kits. Why do they have to be so rude now? Alderpaw wondered. Is it because they're older? After all, they wouldn't be apprentices much longer.

Alderpaw felt his fur raise at the thought of Owlpaw being able to boss him around as a warrior. He felt sorry for whatever unlucky kit would get her as a mentor.

Nightpaw was the first to pipe up in the quiet shade of bramble. "Why are you all getting sleep so early?" He asked, braving to break the awkwardness.

"We went to the Moonstone last night." Rainpaw said at last. "The trip was so exhausting. And then our mentors made us train even harder this morning to work it out of our muscles. And, with making your nests... I'm tuckered out."

"You didn't have to do that for us." Nightpaw blinked.

Rainpaw shrugged her shoulders. "We wanted to. Owlpaw reaaalllyyyy wanted to. Right?" She prodded her sister teasingly in the flank.

"Shut up, flea-brain."

"Anyway," Puddlepaw rolled his eyes at his sisters. "Your nest is right here, Daisypaw. Yours is between hers and his, Nightpaw."

Nightpaw nodded appreciatively to the older tom and sat down between Alderpaw and Daisypaw. Daisypaw was happily trying out her new nest. "Wow! Mine has feathers!" She squealed, flicking a downy feather up into the air with a paw and watching it glide back down to earth.

Rainpaw laughed softly and set her head on her paws. "Puddlepaw made that one."

Alderpaw shot a worried glance at Nightpaw.

Puddlepaw shook his head with wide eyes "Come on!" The silver tom huffed.

"Yeah, Rainpaw," Owlpaw sniffed through her fur. "Everycat knows he has his eyes fluttering for Tawnypaw."

"Do not," He denied.

Alderpaw snorted. Was this really the apprentice's den? It seemed like moons of drama and gossip had woven itself into the elderberry branches. He rose from his nest and addressed his littermates: "Didn't Foxfoot say to meet them outside?"

Daisypaw hopped up on her paws. "Yep! Maybe we'll go on a tour of the territory!"

"Actually," Rainpaw flicked her tail. "It takes a whole day just to explore the forest. You might do that in the morning."

"Whatever it is," Nightpaw meowed, padding out of the den. "We'll just have to find out."

Alderpaw followed his brother over to where the warriors sat by the prey pile. Most of the other warriors were out on hunting patrols or freshening up their battle skills in the sandy hollow.

"Okay, 'paws," Hazelstripe greeted them with a quivering tail. "We're going to the sandy hollow to do some basic training with the other warriors and apprentices."

"What about exploring the territory?" Daisypaw looked up at the brown she-cat with disappointment in her eyes.

Alderpaw almost cringed. Daisypaw could bring a warrior's nose to the ground with one glance of her eyes. It almost seemed like the leafy green orbs were too big for her head, and they were just that much more hypnotizing.

Hazelstripe laid down her gaze and avoided Daisypaw's round, disappointed eyes. "No, not tonight I'm afraid to say." Not even the warrior Hazelstripe was excused from the mystical glint of the small she-cat's gaze.

"We will first thing in the morning." Foxfoot added, his green eyes sternly focused on not watering up.

Alderpaw laughed through his nose and glanced up at his own mentor. Stormclaw looked down at him, and instead of softness in his eyes the yellow orbs were sharp and keen. He looked away quickly. Was Stormclaw's face always going to be this critical? He liked the friendly face from earlier.

"Well, we'll leave soon so get a bite to eat." Hazelstripe said to them cheerfully.

Alderpaw suddenly remembered how starving he was! He hadn't eaten all day. The warriors stepped back to let the apprentices pick through the prey pile and see what they wanted to eat. It was still fairly stocked from the morning hunt. Daisypaw and Nightpaw looked at the prey hesitantly.

Mothfur would always get the food for them or tell them what to eat. She always said eating too much bird would make their fur turn into feathers. He wasn't sure why she said that, but he decided he wanted to finally taste thrush.

He gingerly moved over the other prey and scooped up a limp bird in his jaw. He backed away and settled down. Daisypaw and Nightpaw leaned down too.

"What if Mothfur sees?" Daisypaw asked, her tongue wiping her muzzle hungrily at the prey. She wanted to taste the bird too.

"She isn't the boss of us!" Alderpaw mewed.

His littermates stared at him wide-eyed. Even he was surprised by his own words.

"I mean, we're apprentices now. We listen to our mentors. If they didn't want us to eat this thrush they would have said something."

Nightpaw nodded. "Let's dig in. They're just talking about training right now, but they're waiting on us."

Stormclaw was twitching his tail impatiently. Beside him Hazelstripe and Foxfoot were discussing whether to start them off with defensive or offensive techniques.

Alderpaw was the first to plunge into the prey. It wasn't fresh, but it wasn't overly ripe. He liked the light taste of it. Squirrels had a rich flavor, and the mice were mild and tasted like the soft innerwood of a tree (which was Alderpaw's only way of describing the musky flavor of the small creatures). Being older meant he could try new things.

He took two more bites before he and his siblings had already wolfed down the carcass. He wiped the small feathers off his muzzle and licked his chops clean.

"Let's go." Foxfoot padded towards the camp entrance.

"Bring those bones with us." Hazelstripe reminded the apprentices. "We bury them in honor of the life the prey animals give to us."

Nightpaw picked up the scraps and they followed the warriors through the gorse tunnel. They buried the remains by the dirtplace and quickly headed for the sandy hollow. It wasn't too far from camp; Alderpaw knew he could find his way back.

He relished the texture of the forest floor as they padded through the leaves and fern fronds. It was so different from the smoothness of the worn camp floor. The tiny twigs and clods of dirt tickled his toes and even poked at his pads. The scent of warm ferns filled his nose, and the feeling of the cool forest floor meeting the warmth of the sun made his whiskers buzz.

They arrived to the sandy hollow. It was a large clearing that dipped into the earth. On one side it was bordered by trees. The other side was a steep, rocky slope that led down a ravine into a stream.

There were already cats in the hollow training. The two other apprentices, Tawnypaw and Rosepaw, were circling each other at the center. Their mentors coached them through each step they took.

"Tawnypaw, lower your body and keep your tail to the ground." Thornberry instructed.

The thin she-cat pressed her belly to the sandy ground, her tail sweeping the earth behind her.

"Rosepaw, pounce to the side and tag her flank!" Birchshade meowed.

The small tortie apprentice jumped past her opponent. Before Tawnypaw could turn, Rosepaw had already pressed her paws on her flank, pushing her into the ground softly.

"Wow! Are we gonna learn moves like that?" Daisypaw brightened with excitement.

"Yes, later in your training." Hazelstripe assured her.

Stormclaw padded down into the hollow. They followed and greeted Rosepaw and Tawnypaw.

"Thornberry, Birchshade, your apprentices are shaping up to be real warriors!" Foxfoot beamed.

"Foxfoot," Rosepaw mumbled, digging into he sand bashfully. She glanced over at each of the new apprentices with warmness in her eyes.

"Your daughters are doing splendid." Thornberry agreed. "Have you come to test out your new 'paws?"

"Yes," Stormclaw nodded to her. He shouldered past Foxfoot and stood by his 'paw. "Before too long he'll outpace any apprentice in the forest."

Alderpaw felt his pelt flush hot at his mentor's brag. He glanced up Stormclaw who kept his golden gaze set on staring into Thornberry's eyes. The she-cat's fur subtly bristled along her spine. Staring into another cat's eyes was disturbing and could tip off their nerves. Maybe it was a good tactic for intimidating enemies, but for Clanmates... Alderpaw kept his eyes down on the ground.

"Well, why don't we see how Alderpaw sizes up to Tawnypaw." Birchshade raised his nose in the air, standing stiffly beside Thornberry.

Hazelstripe shook her head at the tabby. "Always up for some friendly competition, eh?"

Stormclaw flicked his ears and ignored Hazelstripe's attempt to lighten the mood. "Alderpaw is bigger than her, if that's what you meant."

Alderpaw shrunk down next to Daisypaw. She nudged her brother playfully. "Ha, your mentor must like you a lot." She giggled nervously.

Foxfoot leaned over the two apprentices and mewed in their ears. "Stormclaw has only been a warrior since newleaf. He's still an arrogant apprentice himself."

"Then why'd Whitestar let him mentor Alderpaw so early?" Nightpaw whispered while Stormclaw butted heads with Birchshade.

Foxfoot kept his voice low like an owl's hoot. "He's the leader's son; he's going to be treated a little better than his Clanmates."

"Yeah, not fair, huh? Stormclaw was always Whitestar's favorite." A voice behind them added in quietly.

They swung their gaze over their shoulder at the cat who approached them silently. It was Snowtalon, Stormclaw's littermate.

"I don't mind. When my father realizes that Stormclaw's a hot-headed squirrel he'll give me an apprentice of my own." The white tom sighed. "Oh well. Loners can't be Clanners."

"Come on, Alderpaw," Stormclaw interrupted them with a growl. "Show us how fast you are! Race Tawnypaw up to that elm tree right there. Tag it first and we show these mouse-brains who's better." Alderpaw looked up at his mentor with surprise.

"Good luck," Nightpaw twitched his whiskers.

Alderpaw looked up at the big tabby cat. Was he serious? His pale eyes were clouded with what seemed to be determination, pride, and anger. The young tom hoped he wouldn't end up as touchy as him later on.

Snowtalon rolled his eyes. "Really, a race? You can't turn this kit into you, Stormclaw." He said lamely to his bigger brother.

Stormclaw narrowed his eyes at the white warrior. He gestured for Alderpaw to stand up. He really did have to race Tawnypaw. It was like he was Stormclaw's plaything. Something to try out.

Alderlaw slinked over to where Tawnypaw stood tall. The tan she-cat disregarded him and kept her gaze focused on her target- the tree. Alderpaw looked over at Daisypaw and Nightpaw. They were silently cheering him on. Even Foxfoot gave him an encouraging blink of the eyes. He looked over at Birchshade, Tawnypaw's mentor. The tabby tom's dark green eyes were scorching right through his fur.

Alderpaw felt better knowing that the respectable warrior was glaring at Stormclaw by glaring through him instead. At least he hoped that was the case. Alderpaw swiveled his head and snuck a glance at Snowtalon. The white warrior gave him a big nod. He hoped he wouldn't look too ridiculous losing.

"Run on three." Birchshade mewed gruffly.

Hazelstripe began to count, her voice hesitating on each number. "One, two... Three!"

Tawnypaw's tense muscles unleashed and she bounded away leaving a cloud of dust swirling inside of Alderpaw's vision.

"Run!" He heard a cat meow.

He pushed off hard against the ground and raced for the tree. His Clanmates were silent, but his heart began pounding against his chest from the sudden movement. Tawnypaw was already scrambling out of the sandy hollow. Alderpaw ran as fast as he could.

His claws scraped against the sand as he pumped his legs as quickly as they could go. He knew he going as fast as possible

But it wasn't enough.

He was barely out of the sand when he saw Tawnypaw sitting on the roots of the elm tree waiting for him to finish. Alderpaw trotted the rest of the way. Breathing heavily, he put a paw on the tree and flopped down on the cool earth.

"Good job," he panted, tongue lolling out of his mouth. He'd been no match to the apprentice who been training for a whole season already. He was a bulky cat too. Unlike Tawnypaw he wasn't built for sprinting through the forest.

Tawnypaw dismissed him and padded back to her mentor. Alderpaw hoisted himself up to his paws and followed.

Nightpaw and Daisypaw waved their tails at him. Alderpaw snuck a meek glance at Stormclaw. His mentor didn't seem mad or disappointed. He looked cool.

"You did your best," Stormclaw nodded with collected composure. "Good."

"Now let's put these games aside and start some actual training." Hazelstripe suggested. "Would Tawnypaw and Rosepaw like to join us?"

"Not Tawnypaw and me," Birchshade snorted. "She's done for the day. We can go practice our hunting techniques."

The pair left the hollow.

"I guess that leaves me and Rosepaw," Thornberry shrugged, padding over with the tortie she-cat by her side.

Alderpaw sat slouched over and glanced at his denmates tiredly. Surely his days of apprenticeship would not go on this way? Were apprentices supposed to be shown off by their mentors like this? He still felt his heart beating fast. There was no way he could keep this up for three seasons. He wanted to train as a ThunderClan warrior! Not as a WindClan moor runner...

* * *

 **Allegiances**

 **ThunderClan**

Leader

Whitestar- long-furred white tom, dark blue eyes

Deputy

Larktail- white she-cat with pale silver patches, yellow eyes

Medicine Cat

Amberfall- amber she-cat, blue eyes

Elders

Snaggedfur- black tom with large missing patches of fur, yellow eyes

Willowheart- once pretty she-cat with dark marbled fur, green eyes

Pinewhisker- dark brown tom with a missing hind leg, green eyes

Robinsong- dark ginger she-cat, pale blind eyes

Warriors

Finchclaw- pale brown tom with scars on his muzzle, icy blue eyes

Graypelt- dark gray tom, blue eyes; apprentice- Puddlepaw

Birchshade- pale brown tabby tom, dark green eyes; apprentice- Tawnypaw

Thornberry- dark brown tabby she-cat, yellow eyes; apprentice- Rosepaw

Leafheart- pale cream-colored tom, pale green eyes

Nightflower- plumy black she-cat, yellow eyes; apprentice- Owlpaw

Foxfoot- dark ginger tom, green eyes

Hazelstripe- brown she-cat with white paws, amber eyes

Yewberry- raven black she-cat with white paws, amber eyes; apprentice- Rainpaw

Whitewhisker- snowy white tom, one blue one green eye

Snowtalon- thick-furred white tom, blue eyes

Stormclaw- gray tabby tom with white belly and paws, yellow eyes

Queens

Mothfur- long-furred gray she-cat, yellow eyes (Alderkit- pale brown tabby tom, green eyes; Nightkit- dark gray tom, yellow eyes; Daisykit- long-furred pale brown she-kit, pale green eyes)

Silvermist- pale gray tabby she-cat, yellow eyes (Mother of Whitestar's kits: Fogkit- pale silver tom, yellow eyes; Dovekit- snowy white she-kit, blue eyes)

Duskfur- fluffy black she-cat, green eyes (expecting Finchclaw's kits)

Appleleaf- Dark ginger she-cat, green eyes, oldest nursery queen

Apprentices

Puddlepaw- pale gray tabby tom, blue eyes

Rainpaw- gray tabby she-cat with white belly and paws, blue eyes

Owlpaw- fluffy white she-cat, blue eyes

Tawnypaw- lithe tawny she-cat, green eyes

Rosepaw- brown tortie she-cat, amber eyes


	3. Chapter 3

Alderpaw crouched down letting his belly fur graze the sandy earth. He shuffled his hind paws backwards until his body had stretched as long as possible. He waved his tail in the air wildly, hopelessly trying to catch balance. The weight of his body rested on the toes of his paws as he attempted to mirror Rosepaw's perfect crouch.

"Oof!" He heard Daisypaw flop onto her stomach. "This is hard! I thought it would be easy."

At least he wasn't the only one failing.

Rosepaw tilted her head and blinked. "It's not hard I promise."

Then why couldn't he just do it? Alderpaw flexed his claws in frustration. He glanced over at Nightpaw who kept his tail perfectly still and his paws amazingly balanced. He was a natural.

Alderpaw felt himself wobble. "Why can't I do it?" He muttered.

Thornberry, Rosepaw's mentor, heard him and shook her head. "Don't worry, 'paws! You'll find your balance soon enough."

"Yes," Hazelstripe agreed. "It took me a whole quarter moon to even be able to crouch like that." She laughed at the memory. "You'll find it natural after practicing a little more." Hazelstripe looked down at the apprentices warmly.

Then the big tabby warrior grunted. "Maybe it's time to head back." Stormclaw suggested, peering up at the purpling sky.

Hazelstripe casted the warrior a sideways glance. "That sounds fine. I'm sure our new apprentices are tired."

 _Tired?_ Alderpaw cried silently. _My_ _sides_ _hurt_. He stood up on his paws and kept his eyes down. Stormclaw was surely disappointed. After all, Alderpaw knew that he himself wouldn't want an apprentice who could barely stand on his own four paws. But it was the first day. He had plenty of more days to get better.

Daisypaw hopped up on her paws and shook out her thick pelt. "Let's go home! I'm so tired I could sleep through my whole apprenticeship. Not that I want to of course!"

They began to leave the sandy dip padding together in rhythm.

"Remember, 'paws," Hazelstripe mewed. "Your den is your home, our camp is your home, and most importantly, the whole forest is your home."

"Really?" Daisypaw stammered. "The entire forest?"

Hazelstripe's dark fur disappeared as the ferns enveloped her body. "Yes, all the way against the river and the thunderpath that separates the forest from the marsh."

"The forest is big." The little she-cat sighed happily.

"And we'll explore our territory tomorrow." She promised.

Alderpaw ducked his head and padded beneath the tall fern fronds. He could feel Stormclaw following close behind him. He could practically smell the prey on his breath. It sent shivers up his spine.

As they approached the thorny thicket of the camp walls, Larktail and a warrior emerged from the blooming gorse tunnel. The deputy waved the group over. Alderpaw watched her closely. Was her belly always that lumpy? He held his tail to his side, remembering Owlpaw's snarky remark about his weight.

"Ah, Thornberry, Foxfoot!" The pale she-cat dipped her head to the warriors. "Leafheart and I hoped to catch you here. We're going to patrol the WindClan border by Fourtrees." She explained. "We've been finding their scents creeping across the border. Would you mind joining us tonight?"

Foxfoot's ginger pelt bristled. "Of course we'll join you." He meowed with dark eyes. He turned towards Nightpaw. "Get some rest. We have a big day tomorrow."

Nightpaw nodded. "Okay."

Thornberry and Foxfoot padded away into the darkening forest with Larktail. Alderpaw caught himself from groaning. Soon he would have to be patrolling borders at dusk. But the idea of protecting the borders fascinated him. He could ward off any intruders who lurked in the treeline. He could warn his Clan and save them from certain doom.

"Alderpaw, are you coming?" Nightpaw mewed.

He shook his head and followed his brother into camp. The camp smelled different. No, it was the same. The scent of the forest was smothered in here from the scents of his Clanmates. It was warm and familiar. The cool earthy ground was riddled smooth from generations of paws while the forest grew a new floor every season.

"Looks like the hunting patrols returned," Hazelstripe pointed her nose at the fresh-kill pile. "It's plump for the picking. Eat some before going to sleep."

Daisypaw trotted over to the fresh pile and plucked out a colorful hawfinch. Pretty prey for a pretty kit.

"Want to share this?" She asked her brothers kindly.

"I think I'll get my own prey." Nightpaw insisted. "Thank you though, Daisypaw." He scooped up a limp shrew in his jaw.

Alderpaw flicked his ears in surprise. They always shared prey together. He looked into his sister's glossy eyes which had darkened with gloom. His heart tightened at the sight.

"I'll share this bird with you." He mewed cheerfully.

"Oh, thank you, Alderpaw!" She beamed, her sad green eyes brightening up in the soft starlight.

They settled down by the nursery on a soft patch of spindly grass. They dug into the bird after carefully plucking its glossy wings. Daisypaw planned on decorating her nest with the shiny gold feathers.

"How do you like our big first day?" Alderpaw asked her through his chewing.

"It was a bit slow today." She said thoughtfully. "But we'll have fun tomorrow!"

"Yeah," he sighed.

"Something wrong?" Her voice as quiet as a calm pool's ripple.

Alderpaw shook his head and inhaled the last scraps of the little hawfinch. She was right. Tomorrow would be fun. After all, they'd really see the whole of the territory for the first time.

Daisypaw licked her muzzle clean and picked up her feathers. "I'm going to the den. Can you take care of the scraps?" She asked with pleading eyes.

"Fine." He rolled his eyes teasingly.

He picked up the bones and padded towards the dirtplace exit near the apprentice den. He passed by Nightpaw eating his prey slowly. Maybe that's why he wanted his own piece of food. When they shared they practically fought to get enough off the same prey. Beside his littermate was their mother Mothfur. After taking care of his scraps he padded over to them.

"Mothfur!" He mewed.

"Alderpaw, how was training in the sandy hollow?" She lifted her muzzle up from the squirrel she had been gnawing on.

"It was okay." He shrugged, sitting down close to breath in her familiar scent. "Tomorrow will be better."

Mothfur purred, her yellow eyes gleaming. "You're getting round in your ribs, son." She poked his side. "No wonder you lost your little race."

He flicked his ears in surprise. Did his mother realljust say that? Was he fat? Owlpaw was right! Alderpaw blinked several times and tried to keep a placid face.

Mothfur narrowed her eyes. She looked up at the sky and grumbled. Nightpaw shot a glance at Alderpaw, but hadn't heard what she had said. Nightpaw looked back down and continued eating.

"Well, I ought to be going to sleep, so, good night." He reached up and nuzzled the soft warrior's fur.

Alderpaw swished his tail, keeping it tucked around his plump belly. He would have to train extra hard to slim down his waist. Though, it could just be his days of the nursery resting on his hips. In no time he'd be as slim as Tawnypaw! Or maybe Nightpaw. The fawn-colored she-cat was too skinny for his taste.

"Alderpaw," a voice beckoned him.

He swiveled around and saw Stormclaw sitting alone beside the warrior den. He padded over swiftly, finding himself less afraid of his mentor. Instead of being so serious as he was in the sandy hollow, he was more friendly looking like in the morning.

"I have a patch of dried mud under my chin." He mewed. "Do you mind?"

Alderpaw shrugged as Stormclaw lowered his head. He began cleaning the spiked fur around his cheek and in the crease of his neck. Alderpaw was only used to grooming himself and Daisypaw, but he knew it was polite to share tongues with all of Clanmates. He still had to learn the scents of the older cats anyway.

Stormclaw purred as the apprentice licked the last bits of mud and grit from his white neck fur. "Thank you, Alderpaw."

"It's no problem." He yawned tiredly.

Alderpaw jerked backwards in surprise as Stormclaw began grooming the fur along his neck. He relaxed and let the warrior groom the leafbits and sand stuck in his pelt. His pelt was now free of grit, though he could feel tufts of fur sticking up the wrong way. Stormclaw was no queen like Mothfur.

"Thanks, Stormclaw. Good night." He meowed graciously, turning his head around to see that the other cats were retreating to their dens for the night.

However, the young tabby-and-white warrior continued to groom his fur. Alderpaw squirmed away uncomfortably, feeling his skin grow hot.

"Good night." He mewed again quickly. Alderpaw padded over to his den without looking back at his mentor.

"Good night, Alderpaw." Stormclaw said after him.

Alderpaw ducked into the den and let out a small breath. The other apprentices were asleep mostly. He settled into his nest, his tail and paws still feeling jittery.

"Are you alright?" Nightpaw whispered to him through the shattered darkness.

Alderpaw didn't reply for awhile until he finally said he was alright.

Across the den Owlpaw raised her head, her pale blue eyes shining in the shadows. "Why don't you go roll yourself in rosemary?" She growled. "You're stinking up the den with Stormclaw's scent."

Alderpaw could only stare back at the she-cat silence saying nothing. He couldn't think of a clever reply, a harsh bite to snap, or even a plea to shut up for StarClan's sake.

"Alderpaw?" Daisypaw was watching him from the safety of her nest, her eyes round with concern.

Owlpaw's gaze softened and she looked at him weirdly. "Quit staring... your eyes will fall out if you don't blink." She twitched her whiskers awkwardly and turned away.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Nightpaw asked again. "If you aren't you can go see Amberfall in her den."

Alderpaw flicked his eyes at each of his denmates. Daisypaw still looked worried, Owlpaw kept her back turned, Nightpaw was genuinely concerned, and Tawnypaw was sitting up in her nest watching them with unblinking eyes.

"I'd feel fine if Tawnypaw stopped with that creepy stare she always does." He growled finally, hoping to pass the attention over to a different cat. "For StarClan's sake, don't you ever blink?"

Tawnypaw narrowed her eyes at him. Rosepaw's slitted, amber eyes fluttered open. Alderpaw felt his pelt flush even hotter.

He buried his head in his fur and curled up in his nest to be as tiny as possible. Why couldn't they just leave him alone for a little while?

 _This is so unfair!_


	4. Chapter 4

Alderpaw opened his eyes to see sunlight streaming through the bramble den. Morning already? He had fallen asleep quicker than he had thought. Probably thanks to the awkward stress he'd been feeling since yesterday.

He yawned with a widened jaw and clambered out of his comfy, little nest. Nightpaw and Puddlepaw were still asleep, but the other apprentices seemed to have woken up already.

He padded out the den, working the sleepiness from his muscles and eyes. He gazed around camp and spotted his mother. She was walking towards the entrance with Birchshade, Leafheart, and the senior warrior Graypelt.

"Good morning, Mothfur!" The young tom called out to her.

She didn't even give him a sideways glance. The dawn patrol disappeared through the gorse tunnel. Alderpaw shuffled his paws anxiously. What was up with Mothfur?

Alderpaw shook his head and drew in a deep breath. The sun was shining, the sky was clear. Songbirds were chirping and squirrels were chattering. Today he would explore the whole ThunderClan territory for the first time. With Stormclaw.

Dread fell in his heart like a cold piece of prey in his belly. It was like Stormclaw didn't know if he should be nice like Hazelstripe or be a grump like Birchshade.

"Being nice doesn't catch the mice." He reminded himself.

Feeling hunger creep up in his belly, he decided to find a piece of fresh-kill to eat as he did not see Stormclaw or Hazelstripe in the camp yet. Alderpaw padded over to the prey pile which was delightfully stocked high with plump rabbits and squirrels. He sniffed at the warm prey and struggled to keep his drool from spilling over.

"Would you like to share some prey with us?" He heard a she-cat mew.

Alderpaw turned expecting to see Daisypaw and Nightpaw. Instead, his heart quickened and his green eyes widened with shock.

"Whoa, what?" The tom stammered. "Huh?"

The female apprentices were crowding behind him all holding large, colorful pheasants in their jaws.

"Would you like to share some prey with us?" They asked in harmonious unison.

Alderpaw searched their eyes. They stared at him with hollow affection. He stepped back nearly tripping over a rabbit. Cold claws raked his mind, searching for an answer.

He felt something cold and slimy squish between his toes. He glanced down as he began treading through the prey pile which had turned into a nasty blob of carrion. The guts of squirrels caught on his claws and the apprentice's paws slipped on the squishy livers of rabbits.

"Gross!" He squealed, trying to swim through the rotting carcasses that rose up to his shoulders. It rank like... like everything had died in the forest and not even a tiny daisy grew from all of its toxic death.

Alderpaw shut his jaw after scooping up a breath of sour air. He felt himself sinking into the pool of blood and guts. Little bones poked in his ears and flaps of flesh plastered themselves over his eyes. Teeth and claws snagged at his fur as he blindly pushed himself through the horde.

Eventually he was free. His paws met the smooth floor of the camp once more. The camp itself began swirling around in his vision as if something had taken its paw and created a ripple in his eyes.

"Mothfur?" He called out, relieved to breath in fresh air. "Daisypaw? Anyone? Nightpaw?" He cried, fear rocking his body as his vision began to quiver. Owlpaw?"

He stumbled forward and felt himself fall into a mass of fur. Blinking rapidly, his vision cleared. It was the five she-cat apprentices again. No, there was six.

"Alderpaw," they purred. "Alderpaw, share prey with us."

He came to a halt and perked his ears forward, meeting each of their gazes equally. Daisypaw looked the same as usual- large green eyes sparkling with joy. Rainpaw and Rosepaw's eyes were blank with what seemed to be warmth. A warmness that would have felt freezing to the touch.

His whiskers quivered with confusion. Especially as Tawnypaw's eyes betrayed their usual silent glow. She was staring at him with love unrivaled by even his own mother's. Owlpaw stood beside her. The usual icy glint had melted away into a soft flicker of starlight.

Alderpaw blinked his own eyes. A pair of jaws clamped over his heart, biting down into the confusion that shuddered within his bones.

He then turned and faced the sixth apprentice. Her fur was white like Owlpaw's and as pure as the first snowfall of leafbare. Her eyes were narrowed like the slim crest of the claw moon. Their color was as pale as the frosty mist of a kit's breath on a chilly morning.

It was Icepaw.

Icepaw was Owlpaw's other littermate. She had been killed by a WindClan warrior thee moons ago when she and her three siblings were first apprenticed. It was a simple routine border patrol that wound up being her last act as a Clan cat.

She had been as cold as her name. She was a rude kit and not even remotely funny like the way Owlpaw is. Yet her death was still a tragedy.

Alderpaw peered deep into her eyes. Unlike the other she-cats, they weren't spilling over with love or affection. They burned with an angry flame just as bright as they had when she was alive and well.

"Icepaw?"

Her white fur sparkled with starlight. Her ears were flecked with dazzling frost as they twitched around wildly. She swung her head toward the camp entrance, her tail bristling.

Alderpaw tiptoed around the mindless crowd of she-cats and headed for the gorse tunnel where the wind of the forest echoed beneath its flowers. As he stepped into the camp exit he found that the tunnel was long and the thicket sprang out of the curved walls. The spindly thorns protruding from the walls held ragged pelts speared through the sharp, pointed tips.

One of the pelts was pale brown with dark tabby stripes. Worried, he looked down at his chest. Thankfully, he hadn't lost his fur. The two other pelts were pale creamy brown and dark gray. He ducked under them and ran through the tunnel. The earth stretched longer and longer leaving the forest to grow farther away.

Alderpaw sprinted forward. The trees at the end of the gorse tunnel grew tiny. He turned back to see shadows racing towards him, paws outstretched reaching for his tail. Heart racing, he finally sprang forward. His claws snagged on the horizon. He hauled himself through the end of the tunnel barely squeezing through the small hole.

Underneath his paws was the gritty earth of the sandy hollow. At the center Stormclaw was waiting for him.

"Let's race, Alderpaw!" He meowed playfully.

Alderpaw skidded down the steady slope and nervously approached the beaming cat. Stormclaw's eyes were shining brightly like the sun.

"Let's race!" He repeated. "You have to be fast."

Alderpaw was unsettled by his mentor's excitement. "Excuse me?"

"Gotta go fast!" The gray-and-white warrior whirled around and dashed away into the forest.

Alderpaw was left sputtering. He scrambled after him.

"Keep up with me!" He heard the warrior's words echoing against the trees.

Suddenly he found himself barreling into the furry chest of Stormclaw. "Would you like to share some prey with us?" The large tom asked, voice ringing as if he were several cats speaking at once.

Alderpaw looked around but saw no other cats nearby. "No, thanks, Stormclaw." He shook his head nervously.

Stormclaw towered over him, eyes staring blankly into his soul. His ears were perked as if he was listening in on something. His mouth was slightly opened, showing off the tips of his teeth.

The apprentice ducked down in fear and the earth began to rumble and quake. The trees squirmed in their places and whipped out their roots from underground. Alderpaw squeaked as the roots of the tall elm trees hauled their trunks closer and tighter forming a ring around the mentor and apprentice.

The sky above began to crush the tree canopy together. The blue expanse turned dark as death and squeezed the last breeze out of the small clearing. The air was stagnant and all Alderpaw could smell was himself and Stormclaw.

Then the goosegrass sprawled along the mossy earth began to tickle his paws and stick to his fur. Alderpaw ripped his feet from the spindly sprouts painfully, but more and more spiraled up from the moist ground and tightened their grip around his legs.

Stormclaw purred and leaned down towards the restrained kit. He ran his snake-like tongue along his jaw. Alderpaw squirmed at the touch. Stormclaw nudged him, pushing the young tom onto his stomach and knocking the wind out of him.

"Don't worry," he whispered into his ear like a hungry rat. "It won't hurt... much..."

"No! Don't! Please, no!" Alderpaw yowled into the darkness. He shut his mouth quickly. The voice crying out wasn't his own. "Please, don't!" He realized the voice was Mothfur's. She sounded like she was in distress.

Stormclaw settled down and looked him in the eye. His pupil was only a dark slit in a pool of blue rain. Alderpaw could see the reflection of a long-furred queen writhing in pain in the glossy sheen of Stormclaw's eyes. The blue eyes then blended into a pale, leafy green that darkened to the color of pine then finally into black, lifeless holes.

He felt himself being swallowed by the darkness of Stormclaw's eye sockets until the goosegrass had let go of his paws and he could freely stand. The pressure on his lower stomach disappeared.

Alderpaw detected nothing beneath his paws and no scent hinted at where he stood. Was he standing? All that was below him was nothingness. At least he could still see himself. Daring to turn back, he saw Stormclaw frozen in place with the goosegrass creeping up the elm trees latching itselfnto the peeling bark. Alderpaw turned back to the nothingness and walked through it.

Eventually a white speck appeared in the nothing. Then the nothingness melted into ripples. He waded through the pool with a serene grace in his mind. The white splotch formed ears and paws and a twitching tail.

He trotted towards her, sloshing through the fallen rain.

"Icepaw!" His voice was desperate like a newborn kit crying for milk. "What is all this?"

The pale-eyed cat met him in the middle of the dark, rippling pool. She barely nudged his nose with hers.

"Wake up."


	5. Chapter 5

"Wake up."

Alderpaw felt something cold and soft press up against his nose. He opened his eyes to see sunlight streaming through the bramble den. Morning already? He had fallen asleep quicker than he had thought. Probably thanks to the awkward stress he'd been feeling since yesterday.

He yawned with a widened jaw and clambered out of his comfy, little nest. The other apprentices had already woken up and were washing their ears or already out in the camp.

He padded out of the den, working the sleepiness from his muscles and eyes. He gazed around camp and spotted his mother sharing tongues with Nightflower.

"Mothfur, good morning!" He called out to her.

The two she-cats turned toward him. "Good morning, Alderpaw."

He trotted over to them and dipped his head in greeting. Nightflower pressed her nose against his forehead. "Mothfur tells me you and your littermates are going for the tour of the territory."

He shook his head and drew in a deep breath. "Yep, that's right. I'm really excited."

Today he would explore the whole ThunderClan territory for the first time. With Stormclaw. Dread fell in his heart like a cold piece of prey in his belly. It was like Stormclaw didn't know if he should be nice like Hazelstripe or be a grump like Birchshade.

"You don't look very excited, Alderpaw." Mothfur meowed, eyes narrowed with concern. "Don't you want to explore the forest? You were begging to go out with us just a few days ago."

Alderpaw shrugged. Nightflower _mrrowed_ in amusement. "I remember when Mothfur and I were going on that tour! I was so ready to stick my nose in every hollow and hole. Your mother was the one with the cold paws."

"I was certainly not." Mothfur growled lightly, whipping her sister with a plumy tail. She turned back to her kit. "It's a good day. You and your littermates are going to have a swell time."

He nodded happily at her words. The sun was shining, the sky was clear. Songbirds were chirping and squirrels were chattering. Today would be... fun!

* * *

"Alderpaw, is something bothering you?" Nightpaw asked his brother while they waited for their mentors to meet with them by the gorse tunnel.

The tabby slumped over tiredly. Was something bothering him? He tilted his head in thought. Sure, he was a little bummed from yesterday. There was something on his mind though. It was really starting to itch. What was it? It was on the tip of his tongue.

"Actually, yes." He said finally, tail twitching with irritation. He just could not think of it.

Daisypaw stretched out her legs and yawned. "Did you have a dream last night?"

Alderpaw shrugged. "I don't think so. Why?"

"I did." She mewed cheerfully. "I sprouted wings and flew up to StarClan and visited our warrior ancestors."

"Who did you meet?" Nightpaw asked her, eyes widening with interest.

She shrugged like Alderpaw. "I don't really know. There was a fluffy she-cat who called herself a SkyClan queen and-"

Daisypaw was cut off as their three mentors approached them with twitching whiskers. Alderpaw wanted to hear more about her dream though. SkyClan was a nursery tale that the queens liked to tell them about. Apparently it was a group of cats similar to the ThunderClanners who defected from the warrior code or something like that.

"Okay, 'paws!" Hazelstripe chirped, amber eyes shining brightly. "Let us start your official tour of the ThunderClan territory!"

The three apprentices jumped up on their paws and followed the warriors out. A sharp thorn poked at Alderpaw's side as he slipped through the gorse tunnel. He snapped it off and shoved it back into the wall so no cat else would get pricked.

First they walked along the ravine and scrambled down to the stream than ran at the bottom. Besides the little pool of water in camp, most of the warriors drank from the stream and nearby pond.

Afterwards they padded over to Tallpines where the trees grew so tall they brushed against the sun.

"Be quiet." Foxfoot murmured. "I scent one of our patrols. Don't disturb the prey."

Alderpaw drank in the air. He could smell the fresh scents of Tawnypaw and her mentor Birchshade.

They passed through the Tallpines until the trees stopped standing tall and odd split logs were stuck upright in the earth. They were called fences. The fences separated the lives of the Clan cats from the kittypets. They still had to be patrolled though because some cats didn't respect boundaries like they did.

Alderpaw loved the Tallpines the best. The smells were so fresh and cool. The earth wasn't too squishy either.

Afterwards they travelled past the Treecut Place- a smoky and dusty-aired Twoleg mill. Past there was the river where their territory ended and RiverClan started.

"See those stones out there?" Hazelstripe pointed a white paw towards a group of large, flat stones jutting out of the pebbly earth. "That's Sunningrocks."

" _That's_ what ThunderClan and RiverClan fight about?" Alderpaw asked unimpressed. The elders always made a marvel of those silly stones.

Stormclaw leaned down and spoke by his ear, nearly scaring him out of his fur. "After an ancient flood turned the tide of the river, the Sunningrocks became part of our territory. There is good prey in the crags and they're lovely to sun our pelts on."

Alderpaw flicked his ears and looked out at the stones. They looked like a lot like the Highrock except shattered into seperate fragments. It was like they could have been the meeting place for an underwater camp long ago before the first StarClan warriors.

"Come on," Hazelstripe nudged him. "The Owl Tree is next."

On the other side of the stream that fed into the ravine, a large oak tree stood twisted up and tangled at its canopy. A large gaping hole in its trunk led him to believe that it was hollow.

"Supposedly, a great owl lives in there." Foxfoot meowed, peering up at the hollow tree. "They say that if you leave an offering of prey for the owl at the root of this tree he'll bless you with a strange gift."

"A gift?" Daisypaw titled her head curiously. "Like what?"

"Power, strength," Stormclaw said. "Courage, bravery. I've heard rumors that the owl gave a cat the ability to blend into the shadows and attack his enemies with dark unseen claws."

Alderpaw's tail bristled. How scary it would be to have a shadow cat chasing after his tail with claws he couldn't even see!

"Do you believe it, Stormclaw?" Nightpaw asked him with an askance glance.

"No." He meowed, meeting the little tom's eyes. "Owls do nothing but steal mice and small kits. Only StarClan can give us strength and courage."

Foxfoot laughed. "I put a piece of prey down for the owl once. It was a little pigeon. The next day I found a fat turkey wandering around aimlessly. I'd say the owl is one good fellow."

Alderpaw noticed Daisypaw's sparkling eyes staring up at the Owl Tree. She usually believed in every little story they were told. No doubt she'd be leaving mice and apple blossoms for the great owl.

They moved along to the border they shared with WindClan. Foxfoot's fur was bristling by the time they came within scent-shot of their border.

"We think they've been crossing the border. Let's not get too close." Hazelstripe told them, shuddering at the memory of past WindClan encounters. "Anyway, the moors up there lead to the Highstones where the Moonstone is. Over there is Fourtrees."

Alderpaw breathed in the sweet heather scent blowing in from the WindClan's side of the border. Foxfoot's tail grew bushier than the creature he was named after. Was it really that serious to cross the borders?

Of course! They could be attacked at any moment. He felt his own pelt start to stand on end. This was near where a few of his Clanmates lives were lost moons ago. For a moment Alderpaw's heart sped up as one of the broom bushes began to rustle. White fur flashed between its flowers.

It was only a hare.

They padded by the Thunderpath back towards camp. It smelled like toxic death. Nothing grew on the sticky monster path. Not even a little daisy flower.

He could see the marsh across the path. It looked gloomy and wet and terribly miserable. He imagined the ShadowClan cats that lived there to look like sloshy moss creatures. Then they came up to the Snakerocks. They didn't actually go on them because adders were snaking their ways through the crags.

"Okay, let's go back to camp!" Hazelstripe mewed.

"I'm too tired to keep walking." Daisypaw looked wilted. "I'm hungry."

"Let's rest by the Great Sycamore for a little while." Foxfoot suggested, looking calmer being as far away from WindClan as possible.

* * *

It was beginning to turn dusk by the time they came back in camp. Alderpaw's feet were on fire. His stomach was practically gnawing itself inside out.

"What did I tell you?" Rainpaw laughed as he and Daisypaw tore into a thrush. She shook her tabby pelt and sat down by them. "It's only going to get better!" She mewed encouragingly.

"There's still awhile until the next full moon," Puddlepaw told them. "But if you're lucky you can go to Fourtrees and meet the other apprentices. Rainpaw has a friend from ShadowClan. Cricketpaw was it?"

"Shut up!" The tabby growled, knocking her brother over with a single paw.

Alderpaw licked his muzzle and laughed at the fallen tom. Next thing he knew a pair of paws were on his chest. Owlpaw stared down at him coldly, her eyes flickering with an icy flame.

"Only I can laugh at my brother." She warned the pinned-down tabby.

The white she-cat let him up. Alderpaw watched her turn away towards Rainpaw. He began to creep up on her, but the twitch of her ear told him he'd been caught before he even thought about it.

Today was actually better! He was tuckered out, but he had had fun.

He began play-fighting with Puddlepaw and the young kits from the nursery joined in.

"Ahck!" He squealed as little Fogkit pounced on his shoulders. "I've been caught!"

Dovekit and Daisypaw began attacking the brown tabby badger as Fogkit kept him down on the ground. They even earned a slight purr from Owlpaw.

Rosepaw quickly joined in by hopping onto Puddlepaw's back, her amber eyes glowing warmly as the silver tom let her sit on him. Tawnypaw stood back beside Owlpaw and watched.

 _Still silent, huh?_ Alderpaw asked Tawnypaw. He looked up at her as Dovekit nipped at his ears. She blinked at him slowly. _I guess not._

Alderpaw flipped over knocking the two little white kits off his back. They squealed in delight.

"Come on, Alderpaw!" Fogkit growled playfully, bright yellow eyes glinting in the rising moonlight. "Catch me if you can!"

He scrambled away. Alderpaw purred and watched his little legs run. Then he caught a pair of staring yellow eyes. Alderpaw's fur bristled. He chased Fogkit back to the nursery and didn't look back.


	6. Chapter 6

Alderpaw never thought he'd rather crack ticks between his teeth than do _this_. Border patrols is absolutely, positively the _most_ boring task for a Clan cat. It had to be done twice a day. That meant wandering around Tallpines, the river, the edge of the moorland, and by the Thunderpath every morning and night!

Sure, it was to keep Clan cats and kittypets out, but it was mind-meltingly boring. All they did was amble from one tuft of grass to the next until they were thirsty beyond belief.

Alderpaw felt like crying out in frustration. His fur was bristling and his tail was lashing with irritation.

"Alderpaw?" His brother had gone on this same dawn patrol with him. "Having trouble?"

The tabby shot his brother a glance. "No. This is just- it just takes all morning. We could be hunting squirrels right now!"

Nightpaw had grown in the last two moons. He was almost as tall as Alderpaw now. "We have patrols hunting now, so it's not like the Clan'll be missing out on prey." He mewed carefully.

"You're right." Alderpaw mumbled as he sprayed at the roots of a spindly juniper shrub.

They were right up against the edge of the earth where Tallpines decided to stop growing. Alderpaw was careful not to step out of the shade. Just a few fox-lengths away was the fence and beyond that a little Twoleg garden and a Twoleg nest.

"Come on, Dingo!" The Clan cats heard a she-cat mew from behind the fence wall.

Stormclaw and Yewberry bristled. The black she-cat called over to the apprentices. "Stay close, 'paws. We might have a few kittypets to chase."

Nightpaw and Alderpaw stayed close to the warriors just as part of the fence shook.

"Chelsea, I don't think we need to go. I bet those savage cats are in the forest," A tomcat meowed nervously. "The ones that your little neighbor just told us about."

"Exactly! I want to meet them."

Suddenly, a lithe cat hooked its claws onto the top of the fenced and hauled itself up to its paws. It was a she-cat balancing precariously on the thin line of fence. She purred excitedly and scanned the forest with bright, eager eyes.

Alderpaw almost thought she was a LeopardClan warrior. Her pelt was a glossy golden-brown with mottled dark spots. She had a collar though. It was bright red with a shiny tag hanging from it.

The second kittypet hopped up on the fence. He looked like the she-cat, though his collar had three tags on it.

Alderpaw stared at the peculiar kittypets. They were bigger than him, but smaller than Stormclaw. The two oblivious cats gazed around the forest before Chelsea, he assumed, leapt down and landed on the piney earth.

Dingo followed her.

Stormclaw was lashing his tail and he crouched down slowly. The kittypets still hadn't spotted them. They also hadn't noticed the fresh scents. Were they nose blind?

The big warrior hissed a slight "go!" and the four Clan cats burst from the tree line. The two kittycats practically flipped over in surprise. Chelsea stared at them with huge amber eyes.

Dingo fled and hopped back over the fence yowling: "I'm glad I'll never have to come here again!"

Alderpaw glared as they made eye contact. He took one threatening step toward her before she scrambled back over the fence into the Twoleg garden.

Stormclaw laughed. "Next time I'll shred them."

Alderpaw looked up at him with worry. He winked.

"Well, hopefully that she-cat doesn't get interested in visiting again." Yewberry mewed as they began to mark again at the border. "Whitestar will want to know about this."

Alderpaw didn't admit he liked the rush of adrenaline he got from encountering the intruders. If every border patrol were like that, he would have offered to patrol the borders all day.

He sprayed his scent on a pine tree. When he looked up he caught Stormclaw staring at him hungrily.

* * *

It was sunhigh now. The leafbare sun cast its warming rays on the chilly forest. Wind from the upper moors blew down through the forest rattling the trees until their crisp leaves let go of the branches.

Alderpaw shared the small redwing Daisypaw had caught on her hunting patrol with Hazelstripe and Tawnypaw. Daisypaw was talking to him about how Tawnypaw had caught a hare with no effort and that Hazelstripe could climb a tree faster than any other Clan cat. He tried to focus on her, but he kept an ear listening to Stormclaw and Whitestar by the Highrock. They were discussing the kittypet intruders.

"Are you listening to me, Alderpaw?" His sister giggled and tapped at him with a paw.

He nodded and blinked slowly. What did she say?

"Anyway," Daisypaw took another bite of the bird. "Can you keep a secret? I left a mouse by the Owl Tree while Hazelstripe was chasing a squirrel. I asked the Great Owl if he could give me something special."

"Like what?"

"Somecat to love." She purred.

Alderpaw licked his muzzle. "You can't have a mate. I forbid it."

Daisypaw shook her feathery fur and sat up. "Come on now! I want to be a queen as soon as we're done training as apprentices."

"Really? Why?" Alderpaw looked at her with concern.

She shook her head. "I just really like kits." She scratched at the ground. "I want my kits to know who their father is."

Who cares who their father is? Alderpaw stood up, almost angrily. Mothfur was all the parent they had ever needed. He padded away from his little sister leaving her with the bones of their prey. She watched him pad away, her green eyes swirling with confusion.

He spotted a white tom grooming himself thoroughly by the edge of camp. Alderpaw huffed and padded over to Snowtalon. He always knew what to do when littermates began acting like there were fleas nesting in their brains.

"Hey," Alderpaw mewed and nudged him from his washing.

"Eh?" The tom blinked open his blue eye then turned to look down at the tabby apprentice.

Alderpaw shrunk in embarrassment. This cat had one blue eye and one green eye. It was Whitewhisker, the third brother of Snowtalon and Stormclaw.

"Sorry, Whitewhisker," Alderpaw backed away awkwardly from the peculiar cat.

He turned around and found the actual Snowtalon sitting alone by the camp entrance. Alderpaw padded up to him with a hot pelt under his fur. The ragged tom laughed.

"I saw you had mistaken me for my brother?" He mewed.

Alderpaw shook his head. "Well, sometimes I mistake you for Owlfrost." He snickered.

Snowtalon opened his eyes wide. He looked like Owlfrost? His younger sister? He pointed a paw from Alderpaw to the warrior Birchshade.

"Yeah, well, you look exactly like Birchshade. Tabby pelt and all!" He countered.

Alderpaw rolled his eyes. There was no way he was related to a grump like that. "Snowtalon, I need to talk to you. Daisypaw was talking about being a queen."

"So? Queens are important. Of course she wants to have kits. She's a she-cat. All she-cats should be queens in my opinion." He mewed.

"She said that she wants to take on a mate right after her apprenticeship!" Alderpaw almost wailed.

"Silvermist was like that." Snowtalon tipped his head in thought. Silvermist was his mother as well as Whitestar's mate. "Right after she was made a warrior she began to expect Whitestar's kits. She hasn't being on warrior duty in moons. After all, right after me she had another litter and now she has Fogkit and Dovekit. Daisypaw can do that too. You have to accept and respect your littermate's dreams."

Alderpaw slumped over. Daisypaw would make a great queen. He knew that better than anyone. He knew why he was angry though. It really was because their father never visited them in the nursery like how Foxfoot and Whitestar had with their kits. Mothfur didn't even say who was their father for StarClan's sake.

"Okay, thanks, Snowtalon." He nodded, finally accepting his wise words.

He pressed his nose to Alderpaw's head. "It took me moons to accept what Stormclaw wants." He whispered into his ear fur.

Alderpaw nodded again. Snowtalon, like any warrior, mused about being deputy and leader one day. With Stormclaw's ambition and the favor of their father, Snowtalon realized that his chance to lead might never come.

That's what the white warrior meant. Right? Alderpaw hoped that's what he meant.

"Alderpaw," Stormclaw called out to his apprentice. "Come here, please."


	7. Chapter 7

Alderpaw found himself in the darkness of Whitestar's den. Stormclaw sat close to his apprentice and wrapped his tail around the young tabby's shoulder.

Whitestar greeted them warmly. "Alderpaw, you and your littermates have been training for two moons now. Stormclaw told me how you, and Nightpaw, handled the situation with the kittypets. Well done."

Alderpaw dipped his head. "Thank you."

"It's time that we begin your first assessment to mark your progress. Tomorrow evening you, Nightpaw, and Daisypaw will be patrolling Tallpines alone. Pass this on to them."

"I will." He nodded.

Whitestar relaxed and settled down on his paws. The air of the cold, stone den lightened. Alderpaw was almost surprised by his leader's casual stance.

Stormclaw relaxed as well and laid down by Alderpaw's feet.

"Relax," Whitestar mewed. "Every cat deserves a break. Today you earned it."

Casually sharing tongues with the leader was an honor of ThunderClan. Alderpaw found it awkward. He sat rigid and ignored the shine in Stormclaw's eyes.

"So," Stormclaw cleared his throat. "Fogkit and Dovekit are almost old enough to become apprentices."

"Yes," Whitestar nodded thoughtfully. "I've been thinking hard about who deserves a new apprentice this season. Any thoughts, Stormclaw?"

"Leafheart hasn't had a new apprentice since I've been a warrior." Stormclaw mewed with a slight shrug.

Alderpaw couldn't believe his ears. The deputy should be making these desicions with Whitestar, not Stormclaw. Guilt prickled in Alderpaw's fur. He really couldn't help but give them his opinion.

"What about Mothfur?" He suggested. "She hasn't had an apprentice in seasons."

Whitestar couldn't seem to agree more. "Perfect. Then before the next half moon Leafheart and Mothfur will be mentors once more. Now about Duskfur's kits..."

Stormclaw licked his muzzle. "I wouldn't mind getting another apprentice after Alderpaw. I would love to mentor Quailkit." He purred at the thought of the newborn tomkit.

"Now, now, Stormclaw." Whitestar shook his head. "Your brothers haven't had an apprentice yet. I was also thinking about giving one of your younger siblings one of her kits. Perhaps Rainpool or Puddlesplash? Oh well, we won't have to worry for another four moons."

Alderpaw was horrified. Whitestar was giving complete favoritism towards his kits. Suddenly a fourth cat entered the den.

Larktail winced as she stepped through the lichen tendrils of the dark entrance. "Oh, am I interrupting somethingl?" She glanced between the three toms.

"No," Whitestar sat up and stretched.

"Well, we need to start choosing cats to go to the Gathering tonight." She mewed.

Alderpaw glanced down at her belly and wrapped his tail around his own stomach. His large tummy had been shapened out to a more lean and muscular tone thanks to training. Larktail, however, was still lumpy. If she was going to have kits, they would be due any day.

Thankful to be excused from the den, the tabby apprentice quickly fled and found himself padding towards Daisypaw who had been sitting beside Snowtalon and Nightpaw.

His feathery sister turned her nose up at him. Alderpaw couldn't even get her to look at him. He sat down beside his brother, confused as all StarClan.

"You've really ruffled her fur," Nightpaw nudged him with a whisper.

Alderpaw snuck a glance at his sister. He sighed. "Oh, and Whitestar says we're going to be assessed tomorrow to mark our progress."

Nighpaw closed his eyes and nodded silently.

Whitestar padded out slowly from his den and addressed the waiting Clan. "Tonight the moon is full. This signals a truce between the four Clans as we gather together at Fourtrees."

"I hope I get to go." Alderpaw muttered. "I didn't go last time."

Nightpaw opened his bright yellow eyes and shrugged. "It's probably your turn tonight. There's some really nice apprentices in WindClan."

Whitestar listed the cats chosen to go: "... Snowtalon, Yewberry, Rainpool, Alderpaw, Daisypaw..."

"Yes!" He mewed in excitement. Finally, a chance to meet the enemy!

Fortunately, Stormclaw was left behind in camp. Alderpaw had feared that his mentor would come along and ruin the night.

"This is great, Daisypaw!" Alderpaw said to his sister. "We can go... together...?"

His cream-colored sister was already padding toward the camp entrance with the other chosen ThunderClanners. Alderpaw had never guessed she would be so angry with him. She was never the cat to get angry.

"Give her time," Nightpaw told him. "Go on. Say hi to Poppypaw for me if she's there."

"Alright." Alderpaw shrugged.

He went through the gorse tunnel and began walking alongside Rainpool. Her glossy tabby fur was pale in the moonlight. She looked down at him and purred.

"First Gathering, huh?" She mewed. "Ha! My first was in newleaf. Are you excited, Alderpaw?"

"Of course," He said. "What are the other Clans like?"

"Well," Rainpool looked up at the spindly tree branches above. "RiverClan is mostly a bunch hotheaded squirrels. The ShadowClan cats are kind of cold and don't really talk much to outsiders." She began shaking her head. "Ever since our sister Icepaw was killed, I haven't been able to look at one of those rabbit-chasers without unsheathing my claws."

 _Icepaw_. Alderpaw remembered her.

Icepaw was Rainpool's other littermate. She had been killed by a WindClan warrior moons ago when she and her three siblings were first apprenticed. It was a simple routine border patrol that wound up being her last act as a Clan cat.

She had been as cold as her name. She was a rude kit and not even remotely funny like the way Owlfrost was, but her death was still a tragedy.

Rainpool, the bubbly she-cat she was, went quiet as they approached the Gathering' hollow.

"Well," Alderpaw mewed softly. "Is there any tension between the Clans?"

Rainpool shrugged slightly. "The _big_ issue we had with WindClan is over, but for moons they have been crossing the border. Larktail has been telling us to remain polite and not give anything away. Maybe tonight Whitestar will end that."

 _Doubt it._ Alderpaw thought to himself. _That tom is more like a lazy, old elder if you ask me._ But no cat asked him.

They came upon Fourtrees finally. Alderpaw could sense the anticipation and eagerness in his Clanmates' paws. Whitestar then gave the signal with a slight flick of his tail.

The ThunderClanners whooped and hollored as they flew down the slope, their paws barely meeting the earth. The air rushed past Alderpaw's face and whistled in his ears. It was like all of his troubles suddenly fled his heart. For the first time since he was a kit he felt completely carefree. He threw a crazed yowl into the wind.

He kept up easily with the warriors as they slowed down to a trot and filled up the hollow.

His eyes grew to the size of the moon. Fourtrees was filled with cats of all shapes and sizes. The eyes of the Clan cats glowed like fireflies in the moonlight. Orbs of amber, silver, blue, green, gold, and hazel danced in the dark grove. Tails were held high, some were stout and stubby while others were long and plumy.

He was overwhelmed by the scents of each Clan. Salty mud swirled around in the night air. RiverClan. Sickly stagnant water and fresh pine potruded his nostrils from the right. That was ShadowClan. Rain and rabbit wafted over from the left. WindClan!

Alderpelt let himself be pushed and ushered through the natural flow of cats. He caught sight of a familiar pelt: Rosepaw. He stumbled over some paws and tails to get to her.

"Rosepaw!" He sighed in relief as he nudged her tortoiseshell fur.

The cat that turned around was not Rosepaw. Her amber eyes lit up in amusement. "I'm Dapplepaw. That's Rosepaw."

Rosepaw shook her head and purred. "This is Alderpaw." She mewed softly. "Over here is Poppypaw."

Alderpaw burned with embarrassment. He found that these apprentices were from WindClan, but they giggled like hyenas.

He looked over at the brown she-cat Poppypaw. "Oh," he remembered. "Nightpaw told me to tell you that he said hi."

They broke out into a new fit of giggles.

Alderpaw's ears twitched. These she-cats were worse than a den full of gossiping queens. Were they really the ones crossing the border? He rolled his eyes and moved past them, earning a new string of giddy laughter.

He squirmed away from all the cats where there was room to breath. It was already crowded with just a portion of each Clan, but he couldn't even imagine what it would be like if every cat were in Fourtrees.

He worked his way around the crowd until he was separated from the other cats. Alderpaw hopped up onto the large, exposed roots of one of the Great Oak trees. Its massive wood was smooth to the paw.

From here, the young tabby could see everything in the hollow. He even had a clear view of the Great Rock without the obstruction of heads or tails. From his post he could even spot his sister sitting with Snowtalon and Rainpool playing with the ShadowClan apprentices.

Alderpaw couldn't help but feel disappointed. There wasn't much to do besides talk to the other cats. The apprentices were all giddy and the warriors hadn't appreciated him stepping on their tails. Gatherings didn't seem to be all they were said to be. At least the leaders would start soon.

The four leaders of the four Clans were greeting each other before they took their spots on the Great Rock, a huge stone in the middle of the four grand oak trees.

"Lonely, huh?" A voice mewed beside him.

Alderpaw flinched in surprise and turned towards the cat beside him. She had appeared out of nowhere.

"So many cats, yet no cat to talk to." The she-cat sighed, gazing hollowly around Fourtrees.

He could smell the willow and olive sedge in her fur. "Yeah, I guess so." Alderpaw agreed, eyeing the fluffy RiverClanner suspiciously.

She was a pretty cat, he had to admit. Her fur was puffy all over like a squirrel's tail. She had a brown smoky mask and her paws and tails were brown as well. Her face was slightly smooshed in and her head was broad. Her eyes were the color of the moon.

"I'm Lavenderpaw by the way," she mewed, meeting his green gaze.

"Alderpaw," he gave her a nod.

His fur began to prickle in her presence, and his heart began to quicken, but not in the way it did when he was around Stormclaw.

"I've been training for two moons," Lavenderpaw said simply, her voice graceful like a dove but her words simple as stone.

"Same, same." The tabby's skin burned and he could say no more.

Fortunately, the leaders began the Gathering. "In the presence of StarClan beneath the full moon, let the Gathering commence!" A tiny black tom yowled, silencing the entire clearing in the same time as a single heartbeat.

"ShadowClan is strong during this wet season of leafall," the small tom stood up as tall as he could at the edge of the Great Rock. "We bring along our two newest apprentices: Flamepaw and Pinepaw."

"Flamepaw! Pinepaw!" The Clan cats welcomed the two young cats into their apprenticeship. Alderpaw could see the dark ginger ShadowClanners looking up in surprise. If only he'd attended during the last moon! Then the four Clans would have yowled his names to the stars too!

Alderpaw listened to Ravenstar meow on about new kits, retiring warriors, and the abundance of prey that follows a warm greenleaf season.

Whitestar seemed to be the size of a lion compared to Ravenstar, but the ShadowClan leader had fire in his eyes that could bring down a hundred TigerClan warriors with a single glare. He could see it even from a distance.

Then the big, white ThunderClan leader gave his report, but to Alderpaw's dismay, it was just as boring as the last. And he said nothing about WindClan at all.

RiverClan's leader was a ginger tabby tom named Perchstar. He was older than Whitestar by many seasons. His eyes looked dark from sleepless nights. He rambled on about new warriors and let the Clans chant their new names.

Then the old cat fell silent.

Alderpaw held his breath. Beside him, Lavenderpaw stiffened up. Below the Great Rock the medicine cats were cowering in the stone's shade.

Perchstar stood still for what seemed like ages. He didn't allow WindClan's Wolfstar to speak, leaving the gray cat just as confused as the spectating warriors.

"WindClan," he rasped. "And ThunderClan," he growled. "Are invading RiverClan's territory!"

The hollow filled with murmurs and hisses instantly. Perchstar's eyes glowed with malice.

Whitestar and Wolfstar exchanged shocked glances and narrowed their eyes at Perchstar. Ravenstar was silent and kept to himself, relishing the bewilderment of the three leaders. In fact, Alderpaw could see the ShadowClan cats keeping silent while all the other cats buzzed with confusion.

Whitestar lashed his tail and turned towards Wolfstar. "I have no clue what Perchstar is speaking of, but I do know that WindClan has been intruding for moons."

The noise of cats' voice raised. Rosepaw defected herself from Mallowpelt and Poppypaw. Rainpool left Cricketfur and joined the collecting group of ThunderClan cats.

"What is this all about?" Lavenderpaw squeaked. Did she really know nothing about what her leader had said?

Alderpaw noticed her fear. He pressed against her as their Clanmates howled and argued.

A cold, biting wind rushed through the clearing ruffling their fur. Leaves tumbled and brushed over the cats' heads just as dark clouds covered the moon.

A dark shadow enveloped the hollow choking out the starlight.

"The Gathering is over!" Wolfstar screeched, her voice loud as thunder.

Alderpaw felt her words claw at his ears.

"Sunningrocks," Lavenderpaw whispered into his ears.

Alderpaw stated at her as the rising storm raked at their pelts. "What?"

"Sunningrocks, half moon," she mewed. "I have to go, Alderpaw. See you and... stay safe."

Alderpaw nodded. They locked eyes for a moment until they heard his name being called by his Clanmates.

He pressed his nose to hers and bounded away from her. Though Alderpaw couldn't see it, Lavenderpaw stood by the tree and watched him run away. Her eyes were dark moons in the shadow of the storm.

He caught up to Daisypaw as their Clanmates fled the hollow. Rainpool and Yewberry were brushing beside him. They collected into a pack. Daisypaw tucked her nose into his neck fur. Her fear scent was bitter.

"I'm sorry, Daisypaw." He mewed. "You'd make a great queen."

Her laugh was carried away in the wind. "What a great time to apologize!"

They struggled to keep their heads low as the wind rattled the molting trees. Branches began creaking and snapping. Snowtalon was walking in front of him, but he stopped and pushed the apprentices back.

"Tree branch!" He yowled.

The cats scattered as a hanging limb began crashing through the leafless treetops. Alderpaw felt Rainpool shoving him backwards. He tumbled into the underbrush.

A bolt of lightning lit up the sky and thunder roared behind the clouds. Rain began to spill.

He searched for Daisypaw as the tree branch plummeted to the forest floor. He spotted her pale pelt motionless as it crashed through the trees. His heart stopped. Water filled his ears to the brim and lightning struck his eyes.

A white flash tackled the young she-cat. Snowtalon tucked Daisypaw into his fur as they narrowly escaped the impact of the fallen bramble.

Soaking wet, Alderpaw dashed to his sister who was frozen in shock. The medicine cat clambered over the birch branch and nudged her to her paws. Before long they were welcomed back to a drenched camp.

"The clouds were StarClan," Amberfall meowed, her blue eyes only crescent slits as the rain turned into a drizzle. "The storm was something else."


	8. Chapter 8

Chilled to the bone,

wet,

and miserable.

The small apprentice curled up into a ball as her body trembled with shivers. Her soaked pelt clung to her skin and dripped onto the stale moss nest. Rainwater trickled down from the cracks in the stone den's ceiling. It splashed onto her nose, dampening her small spirit.

"Daisypaw, eat this," the medicine cat was soaked through to the bone as well. "It's not that bad."

She pushed a small ration of soggy thyme and chamomile in front of the sodden she-cat. Daisypaw glanced up at her with questioning eyes. Amberfall insisted she nibble on the rabbit-food. As if!

A white, scuffed tomcat pulled tiny thorns from between his toes. He blinked at the apprentices with bright eyes. "Come on, now. Don't be difficult," he meowed. "They'll pick you right up. I promise."

Daisypaw's blood was coursing through her veins, and her heart thumped against her chest even as she lay still in the nest. She was in no state to argue or squirm her way out. Herbs tasted icky and bland and bitter, but if Snowtalon thought it was best for her, she might as well try it.

She gingerly lapped up the soggy leaves, wincing at the strong flavor. It really wasn't bad at all! The thyme was cool and the chamomile was like warm, leafy honey.

"See?" Amberfall sighed and tipped her head. "Try and dry off before you catch the sniffles." The tabby turned and padded over to the drenched ferns that shaded her den's entrance. "I must speak with Whitestar. Catch a wink before dawn." She added as she brushed aside the saddened fronds.

"Whitestar," Snowtalon rolled his eyes at his father's name. "He only made StarClan angrier!"

He earned a giggle from the miserable apprentice. The calming remedy of Amberfall's herbs finally began slowing her heart and washing her shocked mind with sweet relief. Daisypaw had nearly lost her life to a falling tree. She had StarClan and Snowtalon, who was covered in scrapes and wads of poultice, to thank.

The white warrior stood up on his wobbly paws. She hadn't been the only one shaken up. She had never realized how lanky the tall tom was. With his long fur slicked down with rain she could make out his long legs, muscular shoulders, and sharp head. Her pelt flushed with heat despite the bone-chilling cold.

He padded over to her and sat down by the nest. She was too weak to move or even wash the wetness from her fur. Snowtalon bent over and groomed her pelt.

Daisypaw couldn't help but let her body rumble with purrs almost as loud as thunder.

"Daisypaw," he choked out her name.

She rolled her head and gazed up at him with her large, green orbs. Even in the darkness of the rainy night and in the shade of the stone-cold den, he could see her youthful warmth.

"Snowtalon," she whispered.

He pressed his nose to her ear. He could feel his heart leaping from his chest. No, he couldn't possibly love an apprentice. It was wrong. She was not even nine moons old. He was nothing like his brother, that monster!

Daisypaw's whiskers twitched. "I love you," she said with a soft mew.

The warrior said nothing and only kept his nose to her cheek. He would wait for her to grow up. Daisypaw wouldn't elope, he knew. If she still loved him, seasons from now, he would certainly think about a future together. Not now. She was still young, only moons out of the nursery.

Alderpaw would have his hide if he found out!

For now, he breathed in the apprentice's admiration and adoring purrs. Her sweet scent was buried in the folds of her soaked fur. Snowtalon couldn't admit what he felt for her. He had to wait. He wanted to wait.

Daisypaw didn't need to hear his thoughts; she understood completely. Her eyes were bright with silent words.

 _I love you_


	9. Chapter 9

The fiery leaves fluttered down in the musky breeze carrying the scent of mold and pine with them. The forest floor rippled with the sound of leaf litter.

"I can't believe this," Alderpaw flattened his ears and kicked fallen leaves with his forepaw. "Whitestar is still making us do our assessment today!"

"Sure," Nightpaw shrugged. "It's wet."

"And Daisypaw is sick," the tabby huffed, "Everycat is sick! The earth is soaked like moss."

"Tough twigs, 'paws," Foxfoot padded behind them. "I'd rather be in camp right now too."

Alderpaw scowled at the dark, cloudy sky. It still seemed as though it could rain at any second even though the sky had already flooded overnight. It was almost sunhigh now.

"What are we even doing today?" Nightpaw asked as the forest transformed from naked trees to bristling pines.

"Patrol the border," Stormclaw suggested mildly, "Catch prey."

Alderpaw shot a glare at the large tom. "Like any prey would be caught in marshes like these."

"A good warrior makes it work."

The two tall warriors began scaling a pine with many limbs wailing from its trunk. "We'll follow you from the trees," the ginger explained.

"Like SkyClanners?" The small tabby laughed bitterly. He was so tired already from the Gathering, the rain, the ridiculousness.

"Yes."

Foxfoot rolled his eyes and shouted down to the apprentices. "Patrol the border. Pets might get curious during a full moon." The jokes was lost in the wind.

Alderpaw lashed his tail and shouldered past his dark littermate. They ducked through dewy thicket towards the border of the Clan and the Twolegs.

As expected, it was perfectly fine. Not a kittypet in sight. Every doggypet was inside of their little nests.

"What a waste of time," Alderpaw growled.

His paws sunk into the grassy earth's mud. It rained so hard last night; his nest had been soaked through and half the cats caught a cough. The camp seemed to be coated in water, like a small flood. The forest was as marshy as the ShadowClan swampland.

He felt smug for a moment. RiverClan surely had a flood on their paws! As they padded along the treeline, his heart was pinched by a pinching beetle. _I hope Lavenderpaw is okay._ He watched a lone finch fly from a Towleg nest to the forest. _What should I care? I hope we can go back home soon._

Nightpaw suddenly stopped. He held his tail out. Alderpaw glanced from side to side.

"Smell that?" The mottled tom pointed up at the fence.

Alderpaw's ears twitched. "I think this is where we saw those kittypets. I hope they're not here again."

"You've been hoping for a lot lately," Nightpaw whispered bitterly. "Look!"

They heard a sliding sound followed by a meow. The fence rattled as claws scraped at the wood. A spotted pelt appeared on its edge.

The two brothers backed up into the brambles. The she-cat's red collar jingled with its shiny tags.

Alderpaw stared at the LeopardClan cat closely. She was fatter than before.

"Her name was like Cheetah?" The tabby mewed softly from the leafless bracken.

"No. Chelsea," Nightpaw meowed.

"Where's that tom?"

Lucky for them, the other leopard cat was gone. However, Chelsea stood on the fence with her paws grasping the edge staring out at the trees. Her body wobbled.

Alderpaw wasn't sure what to do. They were supposed to patrol the border. Should they chase her away? No, she was only resting on the fence. She was carrying kits too.

"I think we should confront her," Nightpaw said.

They slipped out of the bracken. The mottled she-cat blinked her amber eyes curiously at the dark forest. She didn't see the Clan cats at first until their steadfast paws snapped the fallen branches underpaw.

Her eyes grew wide. "Forest cats!"

She nearly lost her grip. Alderpaw cackled. "Kittypet!"

Her neat head and tall legs were puny compared to her round stomach. Her amber spotted pelt seemed stretched out. Her spots were tugged apart by her plump belly.

"Stay out of our forest or we'll tear you up!" He growled. "We'll steal your kits and eat them for snacks."

Chelsea leapt down in front of them. They backed up.

"Forest cats! You're so tiny! Dingo was afraid for nothing," she purred.

"We're small because we're young," Alderpaw lashed his tail and snarled at her. "Our Clanmates are watching. They're much bigger than you and Dingo!"

"Clanmates?" She tilted her head. "You live together, huh? That's what I was told. You hunt and fight together right? Wow! Forest cats! Gyoza said you're very vicious. He got his ears clawed off by you! Wow! That sounds like fun! Are you the warriors he told me about?"

Alderpaw gulped. She was crazy!

Nightpaw sighed. "We're almost warriors. We're in training. We come from ThunderClan. You're in our territory. You should leave."

"Oh, okay," she nodded. "I'm Chelsea by the way. My housefolks are really nice. It gets boring. I want to go in the forest, but Gyoza and my housefolks tell me I shouldn't even though it looks cool. This is exciting. You're real!"

She scrambled up the fence and looked down at them. "What're your names?"

"I'm Nightpaw," the dark tom informed her, "This is Alderpaw."

"That's a silly name," she laughed. "Okay, bye. Visit again. Dingo never visits me. Only Gyoza and April and Chumly come over. You should let me see your ThunderClan. I like trees."

Her tail disappeared as she fell down on the other side of the fence. They could hear her tearing around her garden.

"Let's go find Stormclaw and Foxfoot," Nightpaw mewed.

"You really shouldn't have told her all that stuff," Alderpaw said.

They padded back in the forest. The two warriors landed in front of their paws. They had jumped out of one of the evergreen trees.

"Good," Foxfoot meowed simply. "Never hurt a queen. I think you two passed. There were no harmful threats today."

Stormclaw shoved the ginger. He snarled and shoved his nose in Nightpaw's face. "You had no business doing that, you clod! Did you hear her? She wants to know more about the forest!"

"Get off my brother!" Alderpaw lashed out with unsheathed claws, tearing at the tabby's pelt.

Foxfoot nudged the toms away from each other. "You don't have to be a part of this, Stormclaw."

"I'm his mentor!" He yowled angrily, glaring at the other tomcats.

"That's not what I meant," the green-eyed warrior huffed. "Come on, 'paws. Back to camp."

Leaves began falling by Alderpaw's feet. They carried the scent of olive and willow.


End file.
